ETIQUETTE OF DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT AND THE CAPE ACCORD

After all due praise to ALLAH (SWT), our Creator, our Nourisher, our Sustainer, our Lord, we seek His best blessings and favours for His most beloved servant and best of His creation, and our Nabi and Imam and example, Rasoolullah (SAWAS) and his purified household, Ahlul-Bait (AS).

Once again in this sacred hour of Jumuah, I would like to remind myself and all who are present here for Taqwah of ALLAH (SWT). To be conscious, to be aware, to be on guard about our responsibilities and obligations before our Creator, Almighty ALLAH (SWT).

DIFFERENCES AMONG MANKIND IS NATURAL

Almighty ALLAH (SWT) states in His Holy Book, Al-Quran al Hakeem:

"And if your Lord had willed, He could have made mankind one community; but they will not cease to differ. Except whom your Lord has given mercy, and for that He created them. But the word of your Lord is to be fulfilled that, "I will surely fill Hell with jinn and men all together."

- Surah Hud Verse 118-119

Respected brothers and sisters, one very important reality and fact has been mentioned and explained in these two verses of the Holy Quran:

First of all, that Almighty ALLAH (SWT) is Almighty, is Omnipotent, is Most Powerful. If He wanted to make all of you one, “Ummatan-Wahidah”, with absolutely no difference, with absolutely no dispute, no disagreement, then of course it is possible for ALLAH. If ALLAH would have wished, ALLAH could have made all of you one, but the reality on the ground, Quran establishes is that they continue to differ.

It means that ALLAH (SWT) did not force people to divide, it means that of course ALLAH (SWT) wants humanity to be one Ummah, to be united, but not by force, but out of their own free choice. If ALLAH wanted to make them one by force, He could have done it. It’s not difficult for ALLAH (SWT), but rather ALLAH had given them a choice. Now very important point to understand, is the issue of free will. Me and you, and each and everyone has free choice. We can decide to go in this particular direction or in that particular direction, right or left. We have been shown the path but you have the choice to go this way or that way. So number one is issue of free will.

Secondly. Almighty ALLAH (SWT) has not created all of us in exactly the same manner. We have been created with:- different backgrounds, - different conditions, - different tastes, - different approaches, - different understanding, - different intellectual capacities, - different interests and inclinations and moods and tastes and that’s our reality…ALLAH (SWT) has created us like that.

If ALLAH (SWT) had created us exactly the same, it would have been a very boring world!

The difference, the diversity, brings colour, beauty and appreciation of the beauty and that’s how ALLAH (SWT) has created us differently. Not even our finger print matches…never! It’s one of the miracles of ALLAH (SWT). Not one person’s finger print can match another, that’s how ALLAH (SWT) has created us.

Thirdly, by giving us free will and different capacities, Almighty ALLAH (SWT) has also has given us room for evolution, for progress and regards this world a place of trial and test. If we were forced to be like that or like this, then naturally it does not make sense that if we say we are being tested, what are being tested with?

Test is only possible when you have a choice, when you have an option to go this way or that way and then you decide to select for yourself the right direction that is the test. When you can resist against your desires and temptations and act according to your intellect, and accept the decision of your intellect in selecting the direction in your life - this is the test.

THE TEST LIES IN HOW WE HANDLE DIFFERENCES

Therefore brothers and sisters when we will have difference of approaches, difference of capacities, difference of nature, difference of tastes and at the same time we will have free will, naturally we will make different choices, and when we make different choices there will be differences, disputes and disagreements amongst the people.

Our test is that how we address and handle these differences.

Now in all these differences, disputes, disagreements and confusion. Quran says, only that particular group are saved who has Mercy of ALLAH. The Mercy of ALLAH is not for anyone special as anyone can have this Mercy if they want it. If you are surrendered to truth and not to your desires and this dunya, but your surrendered to whatever is truth then the Mercy of ALLAH will include you.

“We created them to achieve the Mercy of ALLAH” [16:00]

The test is how we handle and tackle these disputes and differences and find the right path…the path of truth.

AFOSA FULLY ENDORSES THE CAPE ACCORD

Brothers and sisters, last week Friday, Alhamdoelillah, in our own city of Cape Town, with the initiative of some great scholars, an Accord or agreement was announced. They called it the “Cape Accord”.

They called for the tolerance, respect and acceptance in our own Muslim community. Alhamdoelillah, indeed it was a great step by a number of institutions. It was initiated in fact on the same day that this Mosque was opened on the 1st December 2017 at the opening of the new campus of Jam'eeyatul Qurra which is not very far from here and it was launched last Friday at Claremont Main Road Mosque and Alhamdoelillah, was endorsed by a number of other very respectful organisations.

In the background of what I explained today, this Accord calls us for Taqwah in handling differences and disagreements among people and especially among Ummah. Ahlul-Bait Foundation of South Africa and the Ahlul-Bait Mosque fully and unconditionally endorse this Cape Accord and proudly supports this beautiful initiative because no one else has been a target of hate and discrimination than ourselves. We have recently been victim of a whole campaign of hate during the opening of this Masjid.

This campaign included provocation of violence by certain groups…not only against us, but even against those who would like to put their foot in this Masjid. Alhamdoelillah this statement…this Accord…this launch is commendable. I’m sure that our Muslim community of SA as a whole and Cape Town in particular are tolerant people….are people who lived over centuries with other faith groups…with other religions and followers of other faith traditions peacefully with compassion. Why can't this Muslim community among itself live peacefully together, caring for each other, loving each other with compassion?

If you remember in that message which we read on the night of opening of Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, he said something very important in that message wherein he said “in the struggle against the evil of apartheid we were together and today in building our country, community and society, how can we not be together and how can we promote hate or discrimination against each other”. This is the history of this community…this is the history of this struggle which never allowed religious extremism…religious discrimination to influence in the struggle for its prime goals…How can we today turn back?

Of course our community will never turn back and will stay in principle with those beautiful values of love, compassion and care for others.

Of course this Accord is available on our website and also on our Facebook page and similarly on number of other social media outlets and so on. I would invite everybody to read it.

EVEN ANTI-SHIA PROTAGONISTS ENDORSE CAPE ACCORD!!

Now that is one thing, but what is really very interesting to note…to hear that those who are behind this hate campaign and raise the flag of discrimination and boycott of this Masjid…they are also today, somehow, conditionally endorsing this Cape Accord. We welcome this approach - that if they realise that we have some responsibilities and obligations as they say as South Africans (they insist to say as South Africans, not as Muslims). At least even on South African level, even if they feel to realise that campaign of hate and call for boycott is wrong….inviting people towards violence is wrong, then Alhamdoelillah.

Yes indeed brothers and sisters, of course they’re very concerned about Aqeedah and belief. We do not have a problem with that. I don’t think any call for unity among this Ummah is a call against Aqeedah of one group in favour of another group. Unity is not the merging of Aqeedah…unity is not conformity of Aqeedah…unity is not to start a new school of thought…what you people say “Sushi”…I don’t know…or “Shinni” for example.

When, in the year 1999 we had that World Parliament of Religions…it was a very important question...that inter-faith should not become a new religion. Inter-faith means acknowledgement of different religions and intra-faith unity means acknowledgement of this reality which I explained to you in light of Quranic verses, that differences are reality.

Quran says that if ALLAH had wished to make you one, it was possible but HE did not…people are different….they are diverse. Call of unity is a call to recognise this diversity…call of unity is to acknowledge this diversity, with acknowledging the fact that our main Aqeedah or belief makes us part and members of One Ummah…which believes in nothing but "There is no god except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah". It does not mean that we must stop critical engagement about each other’s’ opinion.

We disagree with each other and you have full right to be critical of Shia doctrine. We have no right to take away from you this right, but please give the same right to do the opposite also. You can be critical…you can be analysing and even engaging in these academic discussions and I don’t agree with those people who want to say that keep these discussions are only meant to be amongst “high class scholars”…no…the world of today is a different world…with one click you have access to a huge world of information…you cannot say these discussions are only for Ulema…no you cannot hide…you cannot close your eyes and say everything is nice and flowery…no the reality is there.

All these differences…disagreements…different interpretations…different understandings…different approaches are available…allow people to think…allow people to be involved in critical understanding. There’s nothing wrong with it. We are not afraid of it. Islam has a message of truth based upon rationality, reasoning and intellectual arguments. We have no fear…we have no feeling of lack of security when we speak about our Aqeedah or our Emaan. We don’t feel offended when we speak to a Christian (even an Archbishop), so why should we feel offended and afraid when we speak to each other if we are confident in what we believe?

The problem is that when we change this dispute and discussion into a hate campaign. When you say that whoever goes to this Masjid we will declare him a Munafiq! Who are you to declare who is a Munafiq? That is what happens when you start playing GOD, when you start to decides people’s destiny.

Our problem is not that you are critical of Shia or Shia doctrine…you are critical of Imamate…you are critical of Mu’ta…you are critical of Taqiyah…you are critical of our approach toward history and Sahaba and so on. Our problem is that when you misrepresent…when you fabricate…when you create a story…when you use the most vulgar language…when you use the most vulgar language against us…against our leaders…when you promote hate…and I’m not saying that some of our own people…some members of our own Shia community sometimes in response and reaction also do that.

Of course that is not acceptable!!!! Our leadership from Ayatollah Sistani to Ayatollah Khamenei, to all other Mara’ji internationally and locally have made it categorically clear that abuse or insult of anybody’s beliefs and sacred values is haram and not acceptable. It is crossing the red line…that is the problem, but we do not have a problem with a discussion…with understanding each other, while we accept each other as Muslims…while we accept each other as followers of One Quran, One Almighty ALLAH (SWT), One Nabi, making namaaz in one direction and qiblah, having one particular Deen to follow.

Therefore we once again endorse this Accord and we welcome and we support and we wish to promote and encourage this Ummah to be a united Ummah against enemies of Deen and Islam.

SECOND KHUTBAH

Using and exploiting our disputes and differences, our enemies have done their best in defeating us…in destroying us.

This week we learnt how ISIS and other takfiri groups were trained in the camps of the Americans. They were provided weapons. This is not a conspiracy theory…this is mainstream media accepting that. How - by promoting this hate they can win and defeat us? This hate campaign continues and never ends, while Alhamdoelillah, ISIS is being defeated in Iraq and Syria, but still this campaign continues.

During this week we witnessed the killing of more than 41 people in Kabul in Afghanistan. Inside a cultural centre…inside a news agency, and these people proudly accepted the responsibility that they have killed these people for the sake of Pleasure of ALLAH. Afghanistan which has struggled over years and years to return after civil war. After all that in trying to establish a community, where different parts of the community can live together peacefully…they’re pushing for this Shia-Sunni war in Afghanistan and trying to drag people into this war, and how many innocent people in Masaajid, in Hussainiyyahs…even in a cultural centre that belongs to a Shia organisation was targeted and so many people were killed.

The same trick they want to play here and we have to keep our eyes open and therefore this Accord is so important. Rising above our differences is so important…it does not mean that we agree with everything.

In Nigeria how much have they tried to promote the same sectarian hatred by killing so many people and keeping under arrest this oppressed leader of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahiem al Zak-Zaky…may ALLAH (SWT) bring him back to his people. After two years now almost…even though the court has given a directive and said that there is no justification for his arrest and they still kept him under arrest, killing his people and discriminating against his followers on the instruction of…and on the basis of the money and bribery supplied by one particular country whose job is only to promote hate and discrimination, and very sincerely they are in service of the Zionists!

We have to open our eyes!

Last point I would like to make…that enemies of Islam and Deen do not come to us openly. They come in these beautiful forms. Nowadays even in a very revolutionary slogan they come…in that march for Quds and Palestine in Cape Town recently - what happened? It gives a very deep signal who have infiltrated our society…when you are walking over the Israeli/Zionist flag and you place the picture of the hero of the struggle, Syed Hassan Nasrullah and you walk over it…what are you trying to say? What are you promoting? What elements are here who want to provoke and who want to promote this type of agenda, which will of course only serve enemies of Deen. Let us rise above our differences and look at the greater goals and aims Insha’Allah and be in the service of our Deen Insha’Allah.

THE MIRACULOUS NATURE OF THE QURAN
Lecture 19 (final lecture) in the Ramadaan Series
EXPLORING THE SHIA APPROACH TO THE QURAN
Tuesday 12 June (28 Ramadaan 1439)
at the Ahlul Bait (a.s) Masjid, Ottery, ...